Citric Acid in Grocery Products
Citric Acid is an MRT 176 panel substance found in 7,950 of the 20,682 products in our database. Here's every product we've analyzed that contains it.
7,950
Products Found
38.4%
Of All Products
210
Low Risk (0-2)
6,654
High Risk (5+)
Risk Distribution
How products containing Citric Acid break down by total trigger count:
210
2.6%
Low Risk (0-2 triggers)
1,086
13.7%
Moderate (3-4 triggers)
6,654
83.7%
High Risk (5+ triggers)
Citric acid is one of 27 chemical additives tested on the MRT 176 panel, and it is by far the most prevalent. We found it in 38% of all grocery products in our database — that’s nearly 8,000 items.
While citric acid occurs naturally in citrus fruits, the citric acid used in food manufacturing is almost exclusively produced through Aspergillus niger fermentation of corn sugar. This means manufactured citric acid may trigger reactions in people sensitive to corn as well as those sensitive to citric acid itself.
Citric acid is used as a preservative, pH adjuster, and flavor enhancer. It appears in beverages, canned goods, condiments, snacks, and even some fresh-cut produce. If citric acid is on your Red list, finding packaged food without it is one of the biggest challenges of the LEAP protocol.
Related Reading
- What Does “Natural Flavors” Actually Mean? — Citric acid is often hidden inside “natural flavors”
- Products with the fewest MRT triggers overall
All Products Containing Citric Acid — Page 91 of 318
| Product | Triggers | LEAP Phase |
|---|---|---|
|
Mondelez Int. Us (0074819091009) — Sour Patch Soft Candy Strawberry Fat Free1x10 Oz
Cane Sugar, Corn, Citric Acid, FD&C Red #40, FD&C Yellow #5, Blue #1
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
The Coca-cola Company-0049000000016 — Fanta Orange Soda Bottle, 12 Fl Oz
Corn, Fructose, Citric Acid, Benzoic Acid, Glycerin/Glycerol, FD&C Yellow #6, FD&C Red #40
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
The Coca-cola Company-0049000000016 — Fuze Mango Green Tea-ko Bottle, 16.9 Fl Oz
Tea, Cane Sugar, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Trebor Soft Fruits Candy Fruit
Cane Sugar, Sodium Metabisulfite, Citric Acid, Corn, Orange, Lemon, Paprika
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Victoria Fine Foods Llc — Victoria, Marinated Artichoke Salad
Sunflower, Chili Pepper, Olive, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Pepsi-Cola North America Inc. — SODA, MANGO HEAT
Fructose, Corn, Citric Acid, Caffeine, FD&C Yellow #6, FD&C Red #40
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Clif Bar and Company — Energy Chews
Tapioca, Cane Sugar, Corn, Citric Acid, Carrot, Blueberry, Sunflower
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Pepsico Inc. — Gatorade Thirst Quencher Fierce Grape 24 Fluid Ounce Plastic Bottle
Cane Sugar, Corn, Citric Acid, Glycerin/Glycerol, Blue #1, Red #40
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
MARKET PANTRY — FRUIT-FLAVORED SNACKS
Corn, Cane Sugar, Apple, Pork, Citric Acid, FD&C Red #40
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Ocean Spray Cranberries, Inc. — OCEAN SPRAY, CRAN-RASPBERRY, JUICE DRINK, CRANBERRY RASPBERRY
Cane Sugar, Beet, Cranberry, Raspberry, Grape, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Hormel Foods Corporation — SALSA
Tomato, Pineapple, Citric Acid, Chili Pepper, Onion, Cane Sugar
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Pepsico — Sierra Mist 20 Fluid Ounce Plastic Bottle-ia
Fructose, Corn, Lemon, Citric Acid, Benzoic Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
The Quaker Oats Co./gatorade-Van Camp — GRAPE THIRST QUENCHER, GRAPE
Cane Sugar, Corn, Citric Acid, Glycerin/Glycerol, Blue #1, Red #40
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
McCormick & Company, Inc. — CRUNCHY TOPPERS FLAVORED FRIED CUCUMBERS
Cucumber, Wheat, Soybean, Citric Acid, Garlic, Yeast (Baker's)
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Philadelphia Cream Cheese-soft Sweet Chili Light 170 Gr
Cow's Milk, Cane Sugar, Fructose, Chili Pepper, Capsaicin, Pineapple, Mango, Carrageenan, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Associated Wholesale Grocers, Inc. — TRADITIONAL PICANTE SAUCE, MEDIUM
Tomato, Onion, Chili Pepper, Garlic, Citric Acid, Capsaicin
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Post Consumer Brands, LLC — APPLES & CINNAMON THICK & HEARTY INSTANT OATMEAL WITH FLAX SEEDS, APPLES & CINNAMON
Oat, Cane Sugar, Apple, Sodium Metabisulfite, Cinnamon, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Kraft Heinz Foods Company — MAXWELL HOUSE, CAFE STYLE BEVERAGE MIX, HAZELNUT, HAZELNUT
Cane Sugar, Corn, Coconut, Coffee, Cow's Milk, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Starbucks Coffee Company — Chai Vanilla Caramel Latte Black Tea Concentrate, Vanilla Caramel Latte
Tea, Black Pepper, Ginger, Cinnamon, Cane Sugar, Honey, Vanilla, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Terrapin Ridge Farms Llc — Jam
Cane Sugar, Raspberry, Strawberry, Chili Pepper, Pork, Lemon, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Cia. Topo Chico, S.a. — Topo Sabores, Artificially Flavored Soda, Pineapple
Cane Sugar, Benzoic Acid, Citric Acid, FD&C Yellow #5, FD&C Yellow #6, Glycerin/Glycerol
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Hormel Foods Corporation — Hormel, Pizza Ready, Original Sauce
Tomato, Corn, Cane Sugar, Citric Acid, Onion, Garlic, Benzoic Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Nestle USA Inc. — Drink Mix
Cane Sugar, Citric Acid, FD&C Red #40, FD&C Blue #1
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Nestle Waters North America Inc. — Tradewinds, Jimmy Buffett's, Island Green Tea, Tropical Cirtus
Cane Sugar, Apple, Pear, Citric Acid, Orange, Tea
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Sara Lee Foods — Premium Meats Honey Roasted Turkey Breast
Turkey, Honey, Cane Sugar, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
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